What Now

One thing that I had never thought would happen to me was that I would fall for a vampire…or a werewolf. I also never thought I would get pregnant by a vampire or werewolf. So, as I stood on the porch staring up at Eric Northman, the very vampire that I had fallen for and was potentially pregnant by, I was at a loss for words. I had a moment before I asked Sookie to go inside, a moment of confidence and assuredness that I would be able to tell him that I was pregnant, no problem. Just like ripping off a band aid. But the moment that the door had shut behind Sookie, leaving Eric and I alone, all that confidence slipped away and I was left feeling nauseous. I avoided Eric's expectant gaze, feeling claustrophobic on the porch, and decide to escape.

I took the porch steps quickly without explanation, walking down them to get to the dirt driveway and relish in the openness of it. Eric followed me, saying nothing, his eyes impatient. I went over ways to tell him in my brain speedily, unable to find a way that seemed suitable and decided to stall instead.

"Why did you buy Sookie's house?"

"What did you want to tell me before you disappeared?"

I faltered for a second, thrown off by his question. "Answer my question first."

Eric looked slightly irritated. "Given that you both disappeared at the same time I reasoned that if she returned then you would return. I bought the home knowing that since your family basically assumed that you were dead and took or sold all your belongings as well as sold the home you were renting, that Sookie would allow you to stay with her out the of the kindness of her own heart."

I looked at him incredulously. "So…you bought Sookie's house for me?"

"Yes," he answered simply.

I laughed. I couldn't help myself. Only Eric could think that him buying the home of another girl that I knew (deep down inside) that he had feelings for was really for my benefit. I felt anger rush through me at his arrogance. All it did was remind me of everything that he had ever done that hurt me. It all rushed through my head like a flood. The most recent revelation that he had slept with the foreign girl that had helped me escape the basement at Fangtasia was particularly the one that stung the most. I changed my mind then, I wasn't ready to tell him. Everything was still too fresh. I was angry, and I didn't want to deal with the change that it was going to bring, especially when I hadn't dealt with everything else.

"So, you're just going to act like you buying Sookie's house has nothing to do with your feelings for her?" I asked unable to stop myself.

Eric frowned. Irritation clearly present on his face. "This again?"

"Yes, Eric, this again," I replied.

"I've told you before jealousy is unbecoming on you."

"And lying is unbecoming on you," I countered.

Eric took an angry step towards me, making me hesitate. "When are you going to stop with these silly trivial arguments and just tell me that you are pregnant?!" he demanded through clenched teeth.

I froze, gaping at Eric in shock. He knew? Of course, he knew. If Sam could tell then surely, he could? My stomach turned in knots and once again I was speechless. This whole time I had been concerned about how I would tell him and he had just told me. I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat, staring into his fiery eyes.

"How…" I started.

"You smelled different when you returned, but I was so engrossed in the fact that you were back I didn't pay attention to or realize why you smelled different," he cut in straightening. "I put it all together when I saw you on the porch with Sookie, when I heard two heart beats coming from within you, instead of the customary one."

I remained silent. Too stunned to speak.

He shook his head, turning his back on me. "Where's the father?"

Possibly standing right in front of me…or in Jackson. My mouth opened and nothing came out.

He turned back to me, irritation and impatience in his eyes. "Well?"

He was angry, but I didn't understand why? Was it because I had taken so long to tell him or was it the fact that I was pregnant?

"What did you come back for? Were you planning to ever explain your disappearance? Or was I supposed to be under the impression that you were dead? Meanwhile you are off starting a new life with another man…" Eric cut in before I could really speak.

"What?" I said finally, forcing words from my mouth.

"Who is he? What is the fathers name?"

I blinked. He knew. But he didn't realize. He wasn't putting two and two together. He grew more impatient at my silence. He thought that I had run off and disappeared for a year of my own volition, and during that time I had met another guy, a human guy, and gotten pregnant. This was why he was angry. He was jealous. I could have laughed if he didn't look so irritated.

"Well?" he repeated impatiently.

"Eric, I didn't run off and disappear for a year just to get pregnant and come back and…rub it in your face. Is that really what you think happened?"

His frowned. He said nothing.

"Eric, I was kidnapped and taken to the fae realm. I've been gone for a year in this time, but in the fae realm I was gone for like an hour tops. Meaning that I haven't really been gone a year, at least not to me, also meaning that I was pregnant before I was taken."

One blonde eyebrow arched. He was genuinely confused. Eric's head tilted, realization dawning on his face. I stood quietly, wanting to let him process it, hoping that he would put the pieces together on his own and I wouldn't have to blunder through any further explanation. After a long moment, his face set into a scowl.

"The mutt got you pregnant."

I frowned. "The mutt?"

Alcide.

Eric's jaw was set, his lips a hard line. I could see the anger in his eyes, but as usual he let nothing show on his face. "Does he know?"

"Eric-."

"Have you seen the wolf since you returned?"

"Eric, you don't understand-."

"I understand just fine," he spat.

"The baby could be yours!" I blurted.

Eric Northman was already a pale vampire, but if possible he went paler. There had only been a few times when I saw real and raw emotion on Eric's face and in this moment, I saw it. And the emotion was pure surprise. It sat there on his face for a just a small moment before it was replaced with doubt, he frowned down at me again.

"Vampires can't have children. We are quite dead, Chase."

"Yes, but humans can and you were human for 24 hours thanks to my blood and during that time we had sex, unprotected sex, remember?" I explained.

Eric's face fell once more and the shock returned. He stood there, staring me down, until his eyes traveled slowly down my body, resting his gaze on my stomach. He opened his mouth to speak and then he stopped, a frown returning to his face.

"You said 'could'."

Oh. Right. That. "Well, there is a possibility that the baby could be…Alcide's as well."

Eric's frowned deepened. "Of course," he grumbled.

"Well forgive me lover, but if I remember correctly, you and Alcide had not been in a relationship long before you disappeared and while I do not know much about human conception I know there are time frames-."

"I'm two months pregnant, Eric," I said cutting in. "And as you know very well, two months ago I was a virgin. Dr. Ludwig said that my pregnancy may be accelerated because I am fae or because of all the vampire blood I have ingested, either way I can't pin down the date of conception."

"You've seen Dr. Ludwig?" he asked.

"Yes, Pam gave me her number, I figured since I'm not entirely human, my baby might not be as well and going to a regular doctor was out of the question," I continued.

Eric looked irritated again. "I imagine that for some odd reason Pam didn't think you asking for Dr. Ludwig's phone number was something she should share with me," he growled to himself. "Can we circle back to your kidnapping?"

"Eric, I really don't feel like getting into that right now," I groaned. I was tired and nauseous. I really wanted to sleep.

"If you're carrying my child-potentially-and you're in danger I need to know about all possible threats," he said through clench teeth. "It's my job to protect you…the both of you."

I felt another lump form in my throat at his words, surprised at both how well he was taking things and how he was now in protective father mode. I couldn't honestly say how I thought he would take it, but this was still surprising. "It's really not your problem," I insisted.

Eric stepped toward me. "I know that when you disappeared that you were finished with me, lover. I know that you chose the wolf. But if you're carrying my child then it is my problem. Your safety has always been important to me, Chase, and now it's even more so."

My breath caught in my throat at those words. I looked up into his blue eyes and was suddenly remind why I loved him. It was these moments, where he was so tender and sweet, and almost human like. Why couldn't he always be like this? Why did he have to be such a monster? I thought. These moments were so few though and there were far more moments where he had caused me heart ache. The good times did not outweigh the bad in our case. In fact, any time it seemed that things were going well between us, it all went to hell. I couldn't fool myself into thinking that things between us could work out, that we could somehow be this big happy family, if the baby was even his. He was right. I had been done with him. I had chosen Alcide. And as far as I felt none of that had or would change.

"Look, Eric, you and I have a ton of stuff to work out, especially if we are going to be co-parenting, but I just can't do this right now. My parents are coming to town soon and I might have to work tomorrow, I just need sleep," I sighed.

Eric's frowned deepened. "A woman in your condition should not be working. I will take care of your financial needs."

"Eric, you don't even know if this child is yours. Also, I will not let you use this baby to control anything I do."

"This is not about me trying to control you, Chase," Eric retorted irritably. "I am concerned about the child."

"Women have been working while pregnant for hundreds of years. I will be fine."

"No woman that is carrying my child will need to work."

"POTENTIALLY. Potentially carrying your child. Oh, my god, I can't believe we are arguing about this," I growled. "Look, until we know if this is your baby or not, we are not arguing about any of this. I am done with all of this for tonight. I am going to bed. Goodnight."

I stormed past him, ready to go into the house and sleep, when he spoke. "When can we find out who fathered the child?"

I stopped, turning back to look at him. "Dr. Ludwig says we need to do a DNA test."

"Yes, when?"

I hesitated. "Well I will have to call Dr. Ludwig and set something up. And considering I disappeared for a year I hope that she'll still see me…"

"I will call Dr. Ludwig and make the necessary arrangements. I will also ensure she will continue to provide prenatal care for you."

"Well…thank you," I said nodding slowly. "Eric…you don't have to do anything for me until you know for sure that the baby is yours…" I added softly.

He chuckled. "Chase, if there is even a chance I will do everything I can for you until I know."

I hesitated in surprise, but turned before he could say anything else, feeling him still standing there, his gaze on my neck. I made it into the house and shut the door, leaning against it and taking a deep breath. Sookie was sitting on the stairs, no doubt waiting for me. She rose when she saw me.

"Well, how did it go? Did you tell him?" she asked eagerly.

"Yeah," I sighed.

"And? Don't keep me in suspense!" she said rolling her eyes.

"And he took it well…I think," I said. "Of course, he immediately decided he could use this as something to boss me around, but he was also…sweet."

"Sweet?" Sookie huffed.

I felt my cheeks redden. "Look I am exhausted, Sookie. I am going to hit the hay okay."

Sookie frowned, but nodded. "Okay, see you in the morning."

I moved past her and made it up to the guest room, falling face first into the mattress. One potential father down, one to go, I thought. I rolled onto my back as the scene between Eric and I replayed in my mind. I tried to imagine what co-parenting with Eric would be like. What kind of father he would be. What our child would look like. It all seemed to unreal to imagine. And there still was no guarantee that Eric was the father, I still had to consider Alcide. I sighed and buried my face into the pillow, ready to slip into darkness.

When I woke up the next morning I was greeted with nausea, something that I was not going to get used to. I rolled out of bed reluctantly, checking the clock and finding it was almost noon. I had a lot to do today, which consisted of going down to the bank to try and get access to my account and moving into the new place that Sam rented to me before my parents arrived tomorrow.

When I finally trudged, downstairs I found Sookie in the kitchen, finishing up a late breakfast, clad in her work uniform. "Hey," she said upon noticing me. "How did you sleep?"

"Pretty good. Off to work?" I asked sliding into a chair at the table.

"Yeah, I have a shift at 12:30," she said rising to her feet and emptying the remnants of food on her plate into the trash. "I didn't know when you'd be up so I didn't make you anything I'm sorry."

"Sookie, don't worry about it. I'm a big girl I can make breakfast for myself, and honestly I am so nauseous I have no desire to eat," I admitted.

"Are you going to move to into your new place today?" she asked.

"Yes, I'd like to be in there before my parents arrive, just to show them that I am capable of adulting."

"Are you going to tell them about the baby?"

I shrugged. "Still undecided."

"Well maybe after my shift I can come by and check out the new place," Sookie offered.

I nodded. "Sure, that would be great."

"I'm going to head out now, but make yourself at home of course. Oh, and there's a package for you in the foyer," she said putting her dishes into the sink and grabbing her apron off the back of a chair.

"A package?" I blinked. "For me? Who knows I am here?"

"I don't know," Sookie shrugged. "I'll see you later okay."

I said my goodbyes and watched her go before retrieving my package. It was a large envelope addressed to me. I took it back to the kitchen and opened it, pouring out the contents to find that it was a wallet and a folded piece of paper. I opened the wallet, finding my id and debit and credit cards and some cash still in it. I opened the piece of paper and found it was a note from my parents, written in my dad's quick scrawled handwriting.

Thought you'd like to have this back as soon as possible to help you get things in order. We'll be in Bon Temps tomorrow with the rest of your things. Can't wait to see you.

Love,

Dad

I couldn't stop the smile that touched my lips. My dad had always been so thoughtful and now with my identification I could withdraw some money from my account and get some things I desperately needed. I dressed quickly and made a mental checklist of everything I needed to do.

By the time, I made it back to my new place I was exhausted and ready for another nap. The sun was close to setting, but I had accomplished so much that I felt much better than I had since I had returned. After going to the bank to withdraw money and get a personal check for my rent and deposit, I set about getting a new cellphone, clothes, toiletries, and some groceries. I racked up a costly bill in cab fare and found myself missing my mustang. I would have to think about getting a new car, particularly one that was safe for a single mother and child.

I collapsed onto the couch after putting everything away, enjoying the quiet in my house and the feeling of accomplishment. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all. I still had to face Alcide and tell him the news of his potential fatherhood, but despite that I had a place to live on my own and a job. Things were looking up.

I called my parents to give them my new number and address and make sure they were still planning to arrive tomorrow, which they were. I then called Merlotte's to talk to Sookie and give her my new number and address as well. Sam informed me of the shift I had the day after tomorrow and I promised to be there with the check for the years rent and deposit. Sookie still planned on stopping by after her shift and bringing some food. I didn't have television, but we could sit and talk; and I was hungry for once and not nauseous; and while I did have groceries in the fridge now I was not in the mood for anything I had bought.

I took a long shower while I waited for Sookie, changing into my new pajamas and feeling comfortable for the first time in days. I was walking out of the bathroom when I heard an urgent knock on the door. I rushed to the door, ready to eat, and opened it finding that it was indeed Sookie, but she was not alone. Eric stood behind her, shirtless, his hair a mess, and looking confused. Sookie looked irritated. I frowned.

"What's going on?" I sighed.